The AP in Madison, Wis., is reporting that Republican state Sen. Dan Kapanke of La Crosse will meet today with Minnesota lawmakers to discuss how to balance budgets.

Kapanke is scheduled to meet with Gov. Tim Pawlenty's budget commissioner Tom Hanson, Minnesota Republican House Minority Leader Marty Seifert and other lawmakers.

Kapanke wants to talk about zero-based budgeting. That's an approach that discards how much was budgeted before and instead starts from scratch with each budget. Kapanke says the idea makes sense and has bipartisan support in Minnesota.

Kapanke says he hopes to come back with alternatives to help Wisconsin deal with its $5 billion projected shortfall.

This just in (many months ago): Minnesota, too, is struggling with a budget problem. At last report, the two-year deficit was estimated at $4.6 billion, or about 13 percent of the state budget.